Untitled
by Saku
Summary: YYH's Hiei and Kurama are the main characters, they are slightly OOC and placed in an entirely new setting. One where Kurama is the mysterious and deadly son of the late Count of Crimson and Hiei is an adventure seeking teen whom Kurama falls for.
1. Page 1

**Untitled **

Theme Song to story: "Fragrance" by Gackt

It was cool for a summer night. Cooler than any other day the people of Sodom Village had had to endure so far this summer. For the most part, it was a quiet village of only a couple hundred inhabitants who kept to themselves. With only a single dirt road leading out of the forest and a stream and nearby lake, Sodom Village was completely cut off from the rest of the world. If you were not a resident within the village, you were treated with mere civility, nothing more. But visitors were commonplace to this self-sufficient village despite this, drawn to its unique location because of the rumors of both the village and the great forest surrounding it.

Sodom Village was situated smack dab in the middle of Youkai Forest; the deepest, most lush forest to exist in thousands of years. Although flourishing with wildlife and medicinal vegetation, Youkai Forest was not a safe place for human beings. It was not unusual to see the occasional wolf wander by or see a hungry wildcat stalk the local livestock from the bushes. But they were no real threat, merely a nuisance. There were far more dangerous predators within the forest that only came out at night, and when they did, Sodom was not always prepared to defend itself. The rumors that attracted tourists from far away lands were born from the points of view of past tourists who witnessed such times.

The night was always different in Youkai Forest. Each night seemed darker than the next and sometimes the moon would not show itself for nights at a time, thus sending the village into a thick fog of pitch black. Armed with pitch forks, handmade swords, arrows and torches, the men of Sodom Village would stand guard around their houses, on such nights, ready to defend their families against the evils of the night, should they decide to attack.

Some said there was a large castle deep within Youkai Forest teeming with demonic creatures waiting for the perfect night to raid the human village. The demons were just rumors of course. Nightmares thought up by tourists who were unfortunate enough to have witnessed a night attack by the forest animals. The people of Sodom believed in the Castle however, because they had seen it. The first habitants of Sodom Village were past servants of the Castle's Master. Those who founded the village were old now and lived to tell their grandchildren stories of a great Count and Countess who once owned the Castle and the land they now lived on.

"The Count was a natural leader and a good man. He and his men fought and won many a battle for this place in my day," spoke an old man sitting at a corner table of the pub. He took a sip of his ale and stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "He had a son before he died. The kid had hair as red as blood. Very unusual for a child born of two brunettes." He chuckled and took another sip of his drink. "And those eyes…haunting."

"What about the Count, grandpa?" A child with shaggy black hair and large red eyes asked eagerly, hands clinging to the edge of the table as he spun back and forth on his stool. "How did he die?"

The old man looked down at him from his drink and smiled. "No one knows."

The child looked confused. " I thought you were there. What did you see?"

The old man set his drink down and stared ahead, as though watching a film play out in his mind. The boy watched him intently, waiting for him to answer.

Finally the man spoke, "The first day I was hired to work at Crimson Castle…. I saw the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. More beautiful even than the woman I married. And my wife is really beautiful!" he added, "I watched her marry the man I was to call Master. He treated her well and she loved him. I worked as a servant within that castle for years after that and I never heard them argue, not once. Then one day news spread throughout the castle that the Countess was having a child. The Master left with five hundred of his men to do battle with a neighboring village shortly after and didn't come home for months at a time. The child came to us a month earlier than expected and the Countess didn't survive the birthing…."

The black haired boy looked up at the old man's saddened visage and he felt it necessary to put his small hand on top of his storyteller's. The old man looked down at this and he patted the boy's hand.

"Anyways. Long story short, the Count returns and finds he has a new son and a dead wife. He blamed himself for the death of his wife. Poor man. He was not the same after that. As a Master of the Castle, he let his servants do as they pleased and his land ceased to prosper. He no longer had desire for battle, and soon the lands he had fought so hard to protect were destroyed by his enemies. Burnt to the ground. The Forest was Crimson Castle's only protection what with the Master in despair. His armies left him and only those loyal to the end stayed in the Castle with their Master. I was one such man. I watched my Master spend his every waking moment worrying about his son's future. The Count could see that he was losing power over his own land and his people and even his own household. His son grew up in a very depressed atmosphere and I, myself, spent many an hour with the boy, trying to make up for his lack of childhood. We would toss a ball around, or read together in the library. Often I would take him for walks around the castle, but even those were limited, for we couldn't wander far without risking being attacked by the Count's waiting enemies."

"Can you tell me how the Count died, now?"

The old man paused, and seemed to be taken aback to see the boy was still there beside him. "Isn't it past your bedtime? Shouldn't you be at home? What would your mother say if she found out you were here all this time with me after hours in the Pub? "

"Please? You've talked for HOURS. And you never answered my question."

"Oh yes. Such an impatient generation!" The man laughed, finished his waiting ale and waved the bartender over to order another before he started the rest of his story.

"Okay. So, I was saying….oh yes. The Count's son grew to be older than you are by just a bit before his father decided to invite the neighboring royal Family to Crimson Castle. You see my Master thought it was a good idea to marry his son off with another of royal blood. So he was betrothed to the daughter of the Yoko Family. Her name was Catherine. Catherine Yoko. She was a beautiful young lady. And I'm certain that my master thought she resembled his own wife in many ways so he was pleased."

The boy's gaze shifted to the bubbles surfacing in the old man's drink and he tried to pay attention to the man's detailed story despite himself.

"I was fortunate enough to have witnessed the Master's son and the Yoko daughter interact. They were not the perfect match as most marriages go, but they grew to tolerate one another to appease their parents.

All was well for a while, the Master seemed to have recovered some of his happiness from previous years and the whole castle seemed to flourish once again. Seemed to.

It happened so suddenly. Without warning, the Yoko daughter became ill. She had spent the day outside in the Forest and had come home with a bite mark on her ankle. I was with the doctor when he examined her. The doctor told us a rabid canine of sorts had bitten Catherine. Though he seemed pretty sure it was not a wolf bite or the bite of a common dog. Over the next few weeks it became apparent that Catherine, the daughter of the Yoko Family was going to die of the disease now coursing through her blood. She was bed ridden and she would be heard screaming throughout the Castle for water. We the servants would take turns during the night making sure she always had water at her bedside. But nothing seemed to help. No matter how much she drank, she was always thirsty.

"The Count became furious. He ranted that no one had watched out for the Yoko daughter while she was outside the Castle and he executed the men who were on watch duty that day. The Count's son grew angry as well, and he put a stop to our time together. He began feeding off of his father's anger and he would practice his swordsmanship furiously throughout the household, slashing and breaking everything he could hit before his father put a stop to it. Even I knew he didn't care much for the girl he was supposed to marry. He was venting an anger that wasn't even his own."

By this time the little boy had stopped listening to the old man rambling on and he lay his head down on the table and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. The old man heard this and ignored the youth's impatience, continuing on with his story.

"It was terrible, the events that followed, my boy. The Yoko girl died of the rabies disease and my Master's son became very unstable and often violent. He would tear apart entire rooms within the castle and then vanish for days at a time. His father worried his son had gone crazy with sorrow over the death of his betrothed and he did not punish his son for any damage he caused the Castle. I thought this was wrong, but I said nothing. I guess I hoped things would sort themselves out eventually as all things do….

"All right boy. I'll tell you now what happened to the Count of Crimson Castle, since you wanted to know so badly: He died of a broken heart after his son disappeared for good. Crimson Castle no longer had a Master, what with the young master gone missing and the old master dead. I left, along with my wife and the other servants. We were no longer bound by oath to serve a master no longer living, you see. But I guess we all felt a strange attachment to our former home and so we didn't wander that far before building a village of our own here in the Forest.

Now the reason behind calling the Forest "Youkai Forest" is because of those damn rumors. Don't let no tourists scare you with their stories of demon dogs with rabies or haunted castles. There isn't anything in that forest but a legendary Count's home and some vicious forest animals and maybe the bones of the young redheaded Master gone missing. That's all to be said, about the matter, my boy."

But the boy was fast asleep; face down on the table next to him. The old man chuckled and tossed some coins down on the table for the bartender to collect after the Pub closed. He put a wrinkled hand on the young boy's shoulder and gently shook him awake. "You missed the best part, squirt."

"Huh?"

"Come on then, let's get you home Hiei."


	2. Page 2

Untitled Chapter 2

The next day was a bright one. The heat from the sun shone down on the village with no clouds to block its rays.

It was the day the young boy named Hiei was to venture into the woods for his first hunt. It was not a ritual; rather the boy himself decided it was time he packed up his things and go on a quest for adventure's sake. His idea would not appeal to his mother, however, so he took it upon himself to sneak away while she was at the market.

Packing his burlap bag full of hunting gear and supplies, Hiei left his home to begin his journey into Youaki Forest. Alone. The villagers knew well enough to stay out of the Forest that surrounded them unless many others accompanied them. Even then they avoided it. But this particular ten-year-old fearlessly trudged down the not-so-beaten path through the woods regardless. He felt a calm sweep over him as he walked further away from the village he came from. It was as though he _belonged _here. The Forest welcomed him, it seemed.

_Demons. _The boy snorted. There were no demons in the Forest during the day. He would be safe, he decided. Besides, he had special powers that held all evil beings at bay. His grandfather had told him so. Hiei never questioned his grandfather so when the old man told the boy he had a way of rendering demons helpless, the boy didn't question him, nor did he think twice about it. It simply was. And so Hiei had nothing to fear.

He had only walked for a few minutes when a snapping noise to the right of him made him stop in his tracks. There, looming on a rock a few meters away was a red fox. In its mouth hung a little dead bird. The snapping noise was the fox crunching bones. Hiei waved at it. Foxes weren't as scary as the villager's thought, Hiei decided. He had seen them many times scurrying about the forest floor. They were harmless really, the most he'd seen a fox do was screech threateningly when a human had cornered it. And even then it was more annoying than threatening.

And yet the Village people spoke of a certain demon frequently. A demon said to take the form of a fox. It seemed silly how the adults would change the subject when their children came into the room. Parents warned their children never to explore the great Forest. Hiei never understood them. He'd seen wild pigs attack the village before and once in a while he'd hear of a demon running about the village. By the time Hiei could rush past his mother to see for himself, the event would have passed. The creature always got away it seemed. Over the years, Hiei became skeptical. Having never laid eyes on a monster, he began to doubt the stories were true. He assumed they were made up to scare the younglings from straying out of the village.

The elders, whose stories Hiei liked best of all, hardly ever spoke of any demons or monsters. Instead, they spoke of their way of life before the end of the Crimson Dynasty. They spoke of glorious victories in battle, treasures and wealth and happiness in a land not so different from the one they were living in now.

Hiei put down his bag and sat cross-legged on the forest floor watching the little fox chew away at its meal. The fox accepted his presence and ignored him save for the odd glance. Hiei took out a piece of jerky and chewed on the hard meat, imitating the actions of the fox.

_There is much you can learn from the animals._ His grandfather had told him. _Watch what they do and you will survive in the forest if you find yourself lost or alone. _

Hiei wasn't lost and he didn't feel alone, but he thought it best to be mindful of the ways of the creatures that lived in this so-called threatening environment that the villagers feared so much. The little fox stopped eating suddenly and dropped its meal. Hiei froze where he was. The fox wasn't staring at him, however; it was staring at something _behind _him. From the way the little guy was shaking, Hiei was pretty sure he didn't want to know what it was behind him.

Twigs snapped next to Hiei as whatever it was paced back and forth behind him. He could feel the impact of large paws hitting the ground. Slowly, the boy turned his head to look. There, not two feet from him stood a huge and brilliantly silver dog-like creature with a massive tail and clever-looking golden eyes. The animal was not standard dog size; that much was for certain. Hiei inhaled at the sight of the captivating creature. It was…a giant fox. Hiei and the fox watched each other, neither making a move. By closer inspection, Hiei noticed as the fox moved, its fur shone several shades of light blue as well. The fox appeared hesitant to venture any closer, not out of fear but out of surprise. Surely any other human would have fled at the sight of him….

Hiei held out his hand with the jerky. The fox bobbed his head, curious as to what the young human was offering. "Go on. Take it. It's good."

The fox's large nose touched the meat before he snatched it. A few chews with large razor-like teeth later and the meat disappeared. The fox grew bold and nudged the boy in the back. Hiei giggled. "You want more do you? But I need some too." He reached his hand out fearlessly to stroke the animal's large snout.

The fox studied the boy carefully with clever eyes. This human was different somehow from the others. Lifting its head higher so the boy could no longer reach it, the fox glared at the other on the rock. The little fox still remained frozen in terror.

Recognizing its fear, the silver fox bared its fangs and lunged right over the human boy. Now fleeing for its life, the red fox dodged and swerved through the brush followed closely by the enemy.

" No wait! Come back! Leave it alone!" Hiei left his bag and took off after the sprinting animals. It didn't take long for Hiei to get lost in Youkai Forest. When it became clear to the boy how foolish he was to have strayed from the path, he started to panic. He tried to backtrack but nothing looked framilair in the forest. Every stump, tree, and rock looked different. "Help!" Hiei called out. His faith in himself suddenly diminished, he sat on a rock and began to sob.

The giant fox appeared at his side once more and Hiei lifted his head at the sound of it approaching. The animal dropped its prize at the feet of the tear-stained child. "The fox!" Hiei exclaimed, horrified. "You killed it! How could you do that? It didn't do anything to you!" The boy picked up the little creature's limp body and cradled it gently. He glared at the perpetrator.

"Hiei! Hiei where are you!" Another person's voice echoed throughout the forest. Hiei perked up. Someone was looking for him!

"Hiei! Are you out here! Hiei answer me!" A new voice called out. It was female.

"I'm over here!" Hiei set down the red fox and jumped up and down waving his arms. He stopped short when a growling emitted from the animal next to him. Teeth bared and saliva dripping, the enraged canine sprung forward and snatched the young boy's shirtsleeve. Reflexively, the boy tried to pull away but the fox began to drag him away from the voices. "No! Let me go! Ahhhh!"

"HIEI!"

It was no use. No matter how hard the human boy struggled and resisted the fox overpowered him easily, dragging him over logs and through fallen tree limbs that scraped against his bare arms. At one point Hiei slipped out of his shirt, hoping to flee in the opposite direction. Two seconds flat and the fox was in front of him with teeth bared, a low warning growl aimed directly at him. Hiei took a step back. His knees felt like jelly. What was the fox doing? Why was it acting so mean? Hiei held up his hands in surrender and walked backwards in the direction the fox had been pulling him. The fox followed, teeth still flashed warning him not to try anything funny.

"I won't run. But where are you taking me Mr. Fox? The village is that way." Hiei stumbled over a tree root, landing flat on his back. This time the fox loomed over him, its teeth grazing the boy's stomach as it gripped him by the waist of his pants. "Hey! What are you—Oof!"

Now able to carry the small human, the fox ran through the woods with ease. Hiei struggled at first, prying at the animal's black lips. And when he noticed the sharp incisors holding him two feet from the ground he stopped moving and grasped the fox's furry face for support. _Help me someone._ He silently begged. The voices of his saviors faded in the distance.

Before long Hiei could see the forest floor simply end. It appeared to be some sort of drop off in the middle of the woods. Thick trees covered the majority of the edge but as the fox ran full out towards it, Hiei's eyes widened in fright. "Ahhhhhhh!" He screamed, holding his hands over his eyes as they leaped from the edge and into the empty air.

Butterflies filled the boy's stomach as he fell. The fox still held a firm grip on him as they pummeled almost straight down fifty plus feet and landed in a reservoir of crystal clear spring water. The icy cold of the water came as a shock to Hiei, who jolted and took in a gulp of water instead of oxygen. He thrashed about in the bubbles and the fox released him, swimming to the surface. Hiei opened his eyes underwater and watched with burning lungs as the animal above him disappeared out of the water. He flailed and thrashed but did not get any closer to the surface himself. _I'm gonna die!_ White covered his vision and he grew dizzy from lack of air. He made one last attempt to swim before his body gave up and he began to sink deeper into the cold.

The fox pulled itself up and out of the water, shaking its silver fur free. It looked back at where the child should have been but wasn't and dove back into the water.

Hiei slipped into a subconscious state where he saw a woman with flowing red hair reaching out to him through the water and bubbles. Why red hair? His mind wondered lazily. He reached out to the illusion with weak fingers. And then everything went black...

* * *

Hieiopened his eyes and coughed up water violently. Freeing his lungs of the cold liquid at last. Air came as a blessing and the boy breathed greedily for a while before looking up. Sitting across from him was the one who had pulled him from death's grip.

The person with red hair watched him with concern. Hiei wiped his mouth with his arm and sat upright. "You saved me." He coughed.

The other smiled warmly and wrung out their long red hair by twisting it sending water onto the rock below. Hiei couldn't take his eyes from his savior. The stranger's clothes were regal colours; purples and deep reds that looked even darker wet. And they wore black boots. Only his grandfather wore boots similar to those of this person. It was as though they were very old and yet looked vibrant and energetic, with smooth features and intense eyes.

Hiei glanced around at his surroundings. The sun was shining brightly through the canopy of leaves above them. The water flowed, undisturbed down the cliff that he had fallen from only moments before. The fox was nowhere in sight. Hiei breathed a sigh of relief. His traumatic capture was but a distant memory. Now he was alone with this very attractive stranger with long hair, pale skin and captivating emerald green eyes. Hiei couldn't help but say something. "You're beautiful…." He managed to say, his breath hitching once the words were out.

The other laughed at this; it was pleasant sound that rung through the trees.

"I'm not a woman." Was the reply.

Hiei didn't flinch. "I know. But you're beautiful, still."

The redhead studied the boy briefly before shaking his head with a laugh. This boy was not afraid to say what he meant. Ah the freedom of naïveté. The man stood up and held out his hand to the youth. Hiei took it without an ounce of hesitation and got to his feet.

"What is that?" The man asked, crouching down to take the necklace around Hiei's neck into his hand and turning it over. Hiei smiled proudly. "It was my grandpa's necklace. He gave it to me. That's a real ruby too."

"So it is…" The man said, studying it with intrigued emerald eyes. He rubbed the surface of the palm-size gem with his thumb. What was this boy doing with such a rare commodity? Was this what drew the fox to the boy? Such power inside… It made his fingers tingle on contact.

"Grandpa says it has the power to hold demons at bay." Hiei continued, boastfully. He was thrilled that the stranger was so interested in what he had to say. Even if he himself had no idea what his elder had meant at the time.

At this the man's eyes flicked from the gem to the boy's innocent irises. "Is that so? And has your grandpa ever met a demon?"

Hiei's grin faultered. "Umm. Probably. He says that the 'damned canine demon of Crimson deserves to die for killing so many Villagers'. He gave me this so I can fight it off if I ever saw it." He held it to his chest protectively. "Hey mister? Do you know what 'canine' means?"

The man looked sad. "It's a dog. The demon your grandfather was speaking of was a dog."

Hiei's eyes widened suddenly. "I remember! The fox! I saw a huge fox! It dragged me away…" He spun around, not so sure where he was anymore. It was clear he had not yet pieced together what the stranger had just revealed to him. "Where--?"

"I think you should go back to your village now."

Hiei spun back towards the red haired man with wide eyes. "What? Why? Aren't you coming too?"

"…No." The man pointed up the cliff. "The Village is that way. Your parents must be looking for you." He turned away and began walking in the opposite direction.

Hiei stumbled after him. "W-wait! I want you to come too! Please come with me! I'm afraid! Wait!"

The man stopped without turning, "What are you afraid of boy?"

Hiei wiped a tear as it fell to his pale cheek. "The fox might come back…" he sniffed.

The stranger with the long flowing hair and soft voice nodded to himself. "Yes. It will come back. It always comes back…."

Hiei gasped at that and took a quick look around himself just to be sure the animal wasn't around now. " Why does it keep coming?"

"…For the life of me I haven't been able to figure that out." The man turned to smile at the boy sadly. "But maybe you could help me, hmm?"

Hiei brightened up several volts. "Really! I'll do anything! You saved my life after all."

"When you are strong enough…I want you to kill the fox who took you away. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Hiei gaped at the man's request. What was he saying? Hiei had never killed a single creature in his life! And besides, when was he ever going to be strong enough to fight the fox that carried him through the woods in its teeth? Hiei set his jaw and gave the man his best 'I promise' glare. "I'll kill it." He said firmly.

"I will hold you to that vow, Charm Holder." The mysterious savior disappeared into the thick underbrush. The faint sounds of villagers calling out Hiei's name echoed throughout the woods moments later. The young adventurer clutched his necklace and ran to them, thoughts of the future swimming about his head.


	3. Page 3

_Untitled Chapter 3: The Attack_

Theme song to chapter: "Klouny" (Clowns) by T.A.T.U

* * *

Ten years later

* * *

The animal burst through the side of the Village pub without warning. Pieces of wood and furniture flew every which way. The people who were caught in the mess, scrambled to get away, both shocked and terrified.

"Oh my god, it _is_ real!" someone screamed, "It's the demon fox!"

A sense of panic swept through the structure and the silver creature panted heavily, its fur shimmered in the dim lights and saliva dripped from its bared canines. It growled and focused its attention on one terrified person at a time, its icy golden glare sweeping from one person to another slowly. It appeared to be searching for someone specific. Searching for the perfect victim.

"RUN! Everyone get out of here!" yelled the bartender as he picked up and hurled a barrel of wine at the animal. It hit its target square in the face. The animal screamed an unnatural scream and reared on its hind legs, trying to wipe the stinging, red alcohol from its eyes. The trapped villagers took this opportunity to flee through the pub doors and the hole in the wall. Once everyone was outside, the men grabbed up their pitchforks and whatever weapons they could use against the demon and formed a circle around the damaged building.

Now angrier than ever, and covered in red wine, the giant fox snarled a warning at the waiting men with their primitive weapons. It leaped clear through a second wall and snatched a surprised man by the arm with its teeth before even landing on the ground. The man screamed and flailed, dropping his weapon as he was tossed around like a rag doll in a dog's mouth. The other villagers attacked the silver animal with their weapons, forcing it towards the woods.

"HELP MEEEE!" Screeched the doomed man. He was bleeding badly and no longer flailing in the jaws of the creature. "Hold on, Amos! You're going to be fine! Hang in there buddy!" another villager encouraged, stabbing at the monstrous thing holding his friend hostage with a wooden spear. The fox snarled and backed away defensively.

"Take this, you monster!" One man thrust a heavy metal sword deep into the oversized fox's hindquarters. Surprised, the animal released the human man from its jaws and snapped at its assailant, tearing the sword out of its leg.

The villagers managed to force the demon fox off village grounds and out onto the dirt road leading out of the forest. Injured and livid, the demon roared its frustration and made one last desperate attempt to damage the village. Crouching like a cat, the animal dug its claws in the dirt and leapt at the line of defending men, using its sharp teeth, huge tail and hind legs to toss them this way and that. As the fox scrambled towards the center of the village once more, a woman carrying a young child caught the animal's eye. It lunged straight for her. Glinting canine fangs met human flesh, tearing right through bone and muscle. The woman was decapitated instantly; her body fell to the ground in a pitiful heap. The baby fell with it, landing in the dirt next to its dead mother, screaming.

Seeing this as an opportunity, the demon snatched up the baby and took off for the safety of the Forest.

"_No you don't!_"

Just as he was nearing the edge of the Forest a human with hair as dark as the night appeared in the way with fire in one hand and a katana in the other. The blade glinted in the moonlight and the demon froze in place in front of the bold human. They stared at each other for a moment, neither moving. Blood dripped from the fox's mouth. The human took notice and screwed his face up in anger.

"Drop whatever it is you have in your mouth, beast. Or you will never again see the sanctuary of your forest."

The villagers were catching up now. Coming closer with their weapons and fire. The fox hesitated; then he gently lay the still breathing but unconscious baby in the dirt.

"That's right. Now go. Before I kill you myself, demon."

But instead of taking off into the bushes, the demon seemed to smile with its golden eyes. Its lips curled into a devious grin. It was the kind of grin that sent a chill up the spine of the one in the way. The human lowered his torch and backed away a step. But it was too late. The fox had other plans for him.

By the time the other villagers caught up, both Hiei and the demon were gone. Only the unused katana, a burnt out torch and a lucky infant lay in their place….

* * *

When Hiei came to he was face down in the dirt in middle of a small clearing. The sun shone brightly through the leaves of the trees overhead. He must have been out all night. When he sat up his head throbbed and he touched his fingers to his forehead. When he pulled them away, fresh blood coated his fingertips. "Great. Just great. Damn fox split my head open." He shook his hair free of dirt and leaves. 

"Can I help you?"

Hiei jolted backwards on his butt at the sound of the strange voice. A well-dressed man with deep red hair and regal looking clothes sat casually on a large rock, watching him.

"Where did you come from?" Feeling somewhat put on display, Hiei attempted to stand up to brush himself off.

"I wouldn't do that." The stranger commented from his place on the rock.

Hiei winced and fell back on the ground clutching his leg. "Oh wow, that hurts like a—"Hiei eyed the other skeptically as he got up from the rock and began to circle him, hands in his pockets. The stranger made no move to help him; he only seemed to be interested in studying him from all angles. "Yeah, don't help me up or anything… Are you a tourist or something?"

The redhead chuckled. "No." He knelt down in front of the injured teen and examined his leg. The boy's pants were stained in blood and there were non-repairable tears caused by what appeared to be the teeth of an animal.

"You're a man of few words I see." Hiei commented, somewhat peeved by his silence.

"The monster get you?"

"What, you mean that stupid fox? Yeah, he got me."

"_Stupid_?" The man laughed half-heartedly and slapped Hiei on the knee.

"Ow! Hey! Watch it buddy, that hurts!"

"Oh that's right. You can't run anywhere in the shape you're in. It would be a pity if I were to leave you here for the 'stupid fox' to find you."

Hiei studied the stranger's face, trying to figure out whether he was indeed seriously considering leaving him or not. Hiei decided not to take his chances. "Alright, what do you want from me?"

"Put your arm around me."

"_What?_"

"Put. Your. Arm. Around. Me."

"You're one of _those_ guys aren't you?"

"Oh for goodness sake!" The redhead grabbed the smaller by the wrists and forcefully flung him off his feet.

"Ahh! Watch the leg! Watch the leg!"

"Lean on me."

"Okay, okay. Hang on a second, geez." Hiei hopped up and down quite comically, trying to gain his balance. "Now what?" he asked, one arm slung around the other guy's neck. He smelled like jasmine and something sweeter….Hiei couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"We go home." He answered, walking slowly so the other could keep up.

"Home? And where exactly is 'home'? I've never seen you at the villa--…"

The stranger pushed aside a collection of thick tree branches revealing a magnificent castle of stone almost twice as high as the cliff they were standing on the edge of. Hiei made an astonished whimpering noise and leaned heavier on the redhead. The sight before him made him remember his fear of heights and he stared in awe at the castle, clinging for dear life to the person next to him. The castle itself was almost entirely covered with plant life. Glimpses of stone could be seen here and there between vines. Chipped and weathered statues of gargoyles and other mythical creatures stood regally above the castle walls as if protecting the structure from all angles. Only the tower remained untouched, scraping at the clouds above them. Even from a distance, the monument was intimidating. Turkey vultures that had made roost on the tower's shingled rooftop shrieked at the visitors as though to warn them away.

"W-Wha--? Is this Crimson Castle?"

"Yes it is."

"Wow. I mean….wow. I knew it was here somewhere, but I never—I never saw it with my own eyes until now. It's forbidden to come here you know." Hiei let go of the man helping him and leaned against a very old pine tree whose branches extended out over the edge of the cliff. Despite his better judgment, he looked down. Water seeped from the ground beneath their feet and flowed gently down the side of the cliff in multiple streams, collecting in a large pool at the foot of the rocks.

"Why don't you go have a look?"

"What? Go down _there_?" Hiei asked incredulously. It was absurd! No one was allowed to venture this far in the woods alone, least of all walk up to Crimson Castle. Hiei stared in disbelief at the redhead who calmly admired the structure before them with deep green eyes. There was something about this guy. Confidence radiated from him and Hiei found himself drawing from it. He dared to sit on the protruding tree limb and let one leg hang on either side. What a breathtaking view it was.

"You're content to sit here and stare at it aren't you? I figured as much. Very well, I will leave you here. Someone will find you eventually." With that, the man with the long red hair left Hiei and disappeared back behind the bushes. Hiei nearly fell off the branch. "HEY WAIT! Where are you going! Don't leave me here! HEY!" Scrambling to get off the tree branch and wincing as he did so, the teen limped after the stranger.

It took him a few minutes to actually find the man again. When he did catch a glimpse of him he was halfway down the cliff, sliding along a narrow trail skillfully. It was obvious the man had done this many times before and was familiar with the twists and turns of the steep path. Hiei groaned. This wasn't going to be so easy with a bum leg. "Wait up!" he called, taking an uneasy step down onto the earthy trail. He leaned over cautiously and whimpered at the sheer steepness of it. "Well at least there's water at the bottom. I could always just swan dive down there." He muttered to himself grimly.

_Wait a minute. Water at the bottom?_ He had nearly drowned in a pool of spring water not so different from the one below him now. That was years ago, but he could still feel the icy water on his skin, claiming him, willing him to die. He had been hurled off a cliff by the demon fox and then saved by a man with red hair…Red hair just like—

Hiei stopped where he was. "_You…" _He whispered, putting the pieces together.

As if to hear Hiei from meters below, the man stopped. Slowly he turned to face him, giving Hiei a good look at his features. Familiar emerald green eyes locked on him from behind wispy strands of red hair. The very air seemed to sigh. A breeze blew between them rustling the plant life growing from the cliff. Hiei sat down on the nearest rock. _This can't be happening. It makes no sense! How can a guy save me as a child and reappear years later unchanged?_ It was no mistake. The man with red hair and piercing eyes appeared no older than Hiei remembered him. His clothes were torn in places and his long-sleeved white shirt was no longer white, but overall he appeared to have been outside no longer than one afternoon, Hiei judged.

"Is something wrong?" The man made his way back up the path and sat down in the dirt next to Hiei's rock. He reached out and plucked a leaf, tearing at it with long fingers.

"Who are you?" Hiei asked, staring at him incredulously.

"My name is Kurama."

"Kurama? That's it?"

"I can't remember my last name."

"What are you, dead or something?" Hiei sneered, refusing to believe the man beside him was anything more than a trick of his mind. He had learned that dehydration often lead to strange mirages…

"I need your help." The red head spoke.

"Why should I help you?"

The man hesitated, not looking up from the leaf in his hands. He studied it intensely. "You said you would."

"I don't remember saying anything like that."

"You were young then. I had hoped you would remember…"

"I was a kid when I last saw you! And you disappeared for years! No one could live in Youkai Forest alone for that long! You're not real! You can't be!" Hiei stood up forcefully sending a shooting pain up from his injured leg. He winced and backed away from the stranger, using vines and plant stems to pull himself up the path and away from the castle. "I must be crazy." He panted, shaking his head.

"Don't go. I need you." The man dropped the leaf and stood up watching the other leave. "Please." He begged softly hoping the spiky haired teen would change his mind.

Hiei continued to pull himself up the cliff. He felt the need to put distance between himself and the man who had to be an illusion. "You know something," Hiei panted, talking more to himself now than the man below him, "I told my friends and parents about you when I got back to the Village that day. I told them you saved me from drowning. How you appeared out of nowhere and pulled me out of the freezing water. How you had hair so brightly coloured it hurt my eyes at first. I even told them how you made me promise to kill the demon fox someday." He chuckled at the distant memory.

"You do remember…" The redhead watched in mild awe as the young man left him behind, climbing higher still.

"You know what they said to me afterwards?" Hiei stopped, breathing hard, "They said I was crazy. That I was under the influence of the demon. My friends stopped playing with me because of it, _Kurama_. They told me I was cursed. And that I should have died that day in the jaws of the fox." Hiei wiped his forehead and glanced back down the cliff despite his better judgment, catching the saddened gaze of the one listening to him from below. "My mother believed me though. She said you must have been my guardian angel. Ridiculous isn't it?"

"I don't think so." Kurama replied softly.

Hiei shook his head dismissing the comment upon hearing it. "Yeah well, she's dead now. And it's all because of you and that stupid fox!" Hiei grabbed the nearest rock and hurled it down the cliff at Kurama with an anguished cry.

Kurama caught the stone easily and let it drop to the ground at his feet. "Hiei…?"

Hiei paused upon hearing his name. "How--? How do you know who I am?"

"I have heard the people of your village call you by that name." He covered.

Hiei gave him a skeptical look that Kurama couldn't quite decipher. "You've been watching me haven't you? You've come to the Village before. Why hasn't anyone seen you but me?"

"They have seen me. Only…"

"Only what?"

"Your mother…was it the demon who killed her?"

Hiei gritted his teeth. "Stop changing the subject!"

"Did the demon kill her?!" Kurama lost his composure and fell to his knees on the dirt path, shaking. Hiei thought he saw a couple drops of dark liquid fall from the stranger's lips to the dirt. He couldn't bring himself to answer.

"It was, wasn't it?" Kurama pressed, "The demon took her away from you when you were a boy. I'm sorry, Hiei. You have no idea..."

"_Stop it!" _Anger swelling up in him, Hiei grabbed a handful of stones and dirt and threw it at Kurama. "Don't you think I've relived that night enough?! It's not something you forget, okay?!"

The red head said nothing more, and hardly winced at the impact of the stones as they hit him. "I'm sorry for all you have lost." He got to his feet, slowly regaining his composure. "You must help me defeat it. Come to the castle, won't you?" He stretched out his hand to Hiei. There was blood on Kurama's bottom lip...

Hiei frowned at the invitation. Everything about him made Hiei uneasy. And yet…Hiei sighed, giving into his sense of adventure. The scent of jasmine filled the air as a gust of wind blew through the trees. _How were the two of them going to stop a demon that had been ravaging these lands for decades? _Both his mother and father had been killed trying to save him from it. What made him believe he stood a chance?

Hiei suspected the red head had played on his weaknesses all along. Somehow he managed to win him over. With some difficulty, Hiei stumbled back down the path towards Kurama and took his hand. A strong sense of familiarity and assurance filled him at the touch of his hand. The man named Kurama seemed to be daring him to trust him. Hiei soon found himself following Kurama as blindly as a child towards Crimson Castle and its mysteries.


	4. Page 4

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Sweat trickled down his brow and Hiei clenched his eyes closed, willing the ache of his injured leg to subside as he struggled to walk alongside Kurama. Each time Hiei winced, Kurama would slow his pace slightly to accommodate him. After a time they reached the towering castle of Crimson. It looked much older up close. Moss covered the wall surrounding the inner courtyard and the stone was well weathered and chipped in various places. The castle itself seemed to sigh as they approached. The same gentle breeze blew at their backs, nudging them forward.

Hiei let go of his aide and pressed his palms against the base of the nearest statue. Each stone structure was at least four times the size of the teen. Kurama watched him with interest as he followed the edges of the stone gargoyle with his fingers. Hiei closed his eyes and traced the lettering at the base.

Kurama could only watch him curiously, wondering if he was reading what was written with merely his touch. Hiei smiled and turned to the redhead. "It's not English." He said, ruby eyes glinting excitedly.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. He had never taken an interest in what the gargoyles of Crimson Castle had to say. Nor did he notice there was any writing in the stone at the base of the old guardians.

Hiei circled the stone giant, examining it from all angles. "This has to be over a century old! This place in incredible. Just look at the way the stone leans to the right. As if some giant came over and gave it a shove." Hiei moved towards the entrance to the castle, albeit clumsily, face turned upward, taking in the sight with wide eyes. Kurama followed behind, hands in his pockets. There was something very genuine about Hiei and Kurama felt a strange sense of pride in being able to make the young man so excited. It had been so long since he had spent time with another person. He followed Hiei around as he did a fair bit of gawking at the outside of the structure.

Hiei was about to ask why there was no moat dug out at the base of such an important castle when Kurama's chuckling caused him to lose track of his thought. "What's funny?" He asked instead.

"You really are content looking at the covers of books aren't you?" The red head commented with a kind smile.

Hiei blinked at the comment. "You don't really think we can go _in_ there, do you?

I mean common, this whole area is forbidden. The elders wouldn't approve if I just strolled into--."

"Why are you so concerned with whether or not you should go somewhere or see something? How are you ever going to see in front of you if you're always looking up? I don't understand why you limit yourself to such foolish rules, Hiei. If you don't know what dangers exist, you'll never be prepared for them…" Kurama paused and feathered his hair with his hands as if he had caught himself saying too much.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience…" Hiei tilted his head, waiting for him to finish what he obviously wanted to say.

Kurama shook his head and laughed it off, "Forget it. I just…I don't want to keep what I know a secret anymore. And I don't know what your 'elders' told you but I'm sure they left out a lot of details about your village and its origins."

"What makes you say that?"

"This place was here long before your village existed and you know nothing about it. From what you've told me, it is forbidden to even set foot on the lands from whence your grandparents came. It's madness!" Kurama pointed out as though Hiei was disputing him. "People have _lived_ and _died_ in this castle and your families are content to simply _forget_ what happened all those years ago. They abandoned their home and never _tried_ to reclaim it…."

"Kurama…." Hiei honestly didn't know what to say.

Kurama paced, his cloak flowing behind him obediently. "I'm fine."

Hiei wasn't sure what part of the redheaded stranger he was witnessing. Kurama was the most interesting person Hiei had ever come across and it didn't take a genius to notice just how complex his feelings were. It was clear Kurama had a deep respect for the former lands of Crimson and he took to heart the crimes of the past. Perhaps his family members had been rebel servants of the late Count? That would explain his anger at the people of Sodom Village for leaving Crimson behind after the death of the Master. It would also explain why Hiei had never seen the outsider before. Hiei opened his mouth to say something but was abruptly cut off by Kurama's ranting once more.

"Are you forgetting about the demon that wanders this place freely?" He asked, not really waiting for an answer. "It is the same monster that has killed and continues to kill the people of Crimson. Your people probably dismiss its existence as mere folklore when tourists come to the Village. Am I right? Yet your houses are all stocked with weapons by nightfall. Have you never wondered why it has not left the Forest and gone on to terrorize other villages? I think it's trapped here, Hiei. And I want to find out why it is here and how it got here in the first place." Kurama strode around the front of the castle and pressed firmly against the massive wooden doors. They groaned from the pressure and slowly gave way, opening to reveal a very dark main hall. Hiei followed obediently behind with wide eyes.

The inside of the castle was much more foreboding than the outside appeared. The interior was gloomy, but no less majestic. Broken furniture lay sprawled randomly throughout the foyer. A large staircase loomed before them leading to a second floor, its steps coated with a very old, very dusty maroon carpet. There were enormous windows stretched vertically towards the ceiling on either side of the foyer. Next to no light shone through those windows despite their size. The dust on the panes blocked the sun's warm rays from entering. The long drapes were long rotted away, only slivers of the material hung loosely from the curtain rods in shreds.

Hiei followed the red head inside. "It's cold in here." He commented, rubbing his arms.

Kurama said nothing. He started up the stairs and motioned the other to follow. "I'll light a fire." he said finally when they reached the top of the unbalanced staircase. Hiei nodded and looked around the room. A fireplace the size of a carriage loomed just ahead. Scowling animal heads carved from mahogany wood watched Hiei with hollow eyes from their places along the mantelpiece.

Hiei swallowed nervously and knelt by the empty hearth waiting as Kurama fetched something to burn. To his surprise, Kurama tossed an old chair into the hearth from across the room and then handed a piece of burning fabric to Hiei. Hiei gave a yelp when the flame came a little too close to is bare arm for comfort and tossed it into the pit with the chair. "This stuff could be worth a fortune, you know. We probably shouldn't burn it."

"It's junk," Kurama confirmed, smashing a perfectly intact end table to the floor with such force that the floor moaned in response. Hiei could feel the vibration through his chest as he sat cross-legged on the floor. Somewhere in the castle a creaking sound emitted, followed by a faint crash. Hiei looked to Kurama for a reaction but the red head paid no notice to this and continued to break the piece of furniture to smaller pieces.

Hiei rubbed his arms again, staring into the tiny flame in the black void of the hearth. "Where is your family? Do they know where you are?" He asked, poking a piece of wire he found on the floor at the ashes.

Kurama tossed the table bits into the now healthy fire and wiped his hands on his pants. He sat down next to Hiei on the cold floor. "My mother died at childbirth. Or so I'm told." He snorted sarcestically, staring into the flames. Hiei stopped poking the ashes. "And your father?"

It was amazing how many facial expressions Kurama could muster in only a few moments. Hiei guessed the look on his face was sadness followed closely by bitterness. Kurama shifted his weight. "He's long gone. The demon killed him in front of me." The two exchanged empathetic looks.

"I'm sorry," Hiei whispered, looking away, "I guess you and I have more in common than I thought."

"Still think I am an illusion?" Changing the subject seemed to be Kurama's forte.

Hiei shook his head, "No. But I might need some proof just in case." He joked.

The redhead reached behind Hiei and grasped a fairly large shard of glass off of the floor. It probably came from a broken window. Hiei watched as the other used the glass to slice a large gash down the center of his own palm. Hiei gasped and leaned away from him with a shocked look on his face. "What are you doing! Stop that!" he yelled, knocking the glass piece from his hand.

Kurama held up his hand to Hiei. "I'm human too. See?" Hiei eyed the deep red liquid with discern as it dripped slowly down the redhead's wrist and onto his white sleeve. He thought it horrid that Kurama didn't even hesitate to cut himself if only for the sake of proving his existence.

"I'm sorry I doubted you. I guess the fact that you look exactly as I remember you, threw me off. It's as though time stood still for you or something." Hiei picked up the shard of broken glass from the floor and used it to slice a sleeve from his shirt.

Kurama watched him curiously. The teen grabbed hold of his bleeding hand and began to wrap it in the fabric.

"You don't have to dress my wounds…" He started to say but Hiei gave him a sharp look that made the redhead clamp his mouth shut.

"Well you don't have to go cutting yourself like that just to prove a point." The teen told him, tightening the last of the fabric around his wrist and tucking it in. Hiei's gaze softened and he sighed, tossing the glass back to the floor. "So you've lived here alone for your whole life?"

Kurama examined his newly wrapped hand. "Most of it."

"And you don't know anyone from the Village? Didn't you ever try to get help? I mean you can't like living here in this mess." Hiei declared, using a broken table leg to lift part of a torn curtain up from the floor. He made a face at Kurama.

"Can't I?" The other challenged with a smug grin.

"Well…_do you_?"

Kurama laughed and reached for some broken furniture bits to toss into the huge hearth and the flames dancing within it. "Honestly? No. But I can't leave. Not yet anyway. I have some…unfinished business here."

"Business? Are you talking about the fox?"

Kurama's shocking emerald eyes focused on the flames intently. "That demon has to die and I can't kill it alone."

"You can't possibly believe you are the only one who is trying to get rid of the demon. Why are you putting so much pressure on yourself? It's not your responsibility to kill it."

"It is personal, Hiei. I don't expect you to understand."

"So you chose me to help you? Why?"

"….I am not sure. The day you met me I was somewhat _desperate._ If you could call it that. I never meant to bring you into my problems. But when I saw you drowning, my heart stopped. It was as though I was witnessing your destiny and I just had to defy it. You were supposed to die that day but I couldn't let that happen…."

Hiei watched him, intrigued and flattered all at once. It was wild to hear Kurama's version of his near-death experience. After all he had nearly convinced himself he had made it all up all those years ago. With no real way of proving what had happened, Hiei had found himself doubting himself and he grew apart from his friends. "Thanks. I'm glad you decided I was worth saving." He said sarcastically.

"The demon wanted you. It sensed something in you. It searches the Village, Hiei. And I never knew who it was looking for… But the demon has found you twice now. And no one the demon snatches lives to talk about it. No one that is, except you." Kurama continued to stare straight ahead. Visions of dancing flames flickered in his irises and Hiei watched him carefully, not quite following him.

"So…you're saying I'm special? Is that it?"

Kurama blinked finally. "I think the demon was drawn to you that day and I believe it will keep trying to find you until it has what it wants from you."

Hiei furrowed his brows, "And what does it want from me exactly? I don't have anything!"

Kurama frowned. "That I don't know."

Hiei rubbed his hands through his hair feverishly while Kurama watched him with concern. "Frustrated?"

"No." He snapped. "Just….well, yeah, I'm frustrated. Can you blame me? I mean, my whole life I've heard stories of demons and castles and forbidden places. I've been told not to go here and not to go there. Nobody prepared me for this place. And no one told me I would actually get attacked by the demon that killed my mother. No one told me it would come back for me a second time. I didn't ask for this."

Kurama rested a reassuring hand on Hiei's shoulder. "I'm not certain what to tell you, Hiei. Only know this, you're in this with me now."

Hiei rolled his eyes, "Oh and that's supposed to be comforting?" he asked sarcastically, arms folded.

The redhead blinked at his sarcasm. They stared at each other a moment before Hiei burst out laughing. "You're so serious!"

Kurama got to his feet and brushed himself off, slightly insulted. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Kurama, Son of the Count of Crimson." He bowed, brushing his cloak behind him as he did so. "So, yes, you should feel comforted by my company."

Hiei just stared at him. "You're kidding me."

Kurama straightened once more. "Why would I joke about such a thing?"

Hiei fell backwards in a fit of laughter which only succeeded in making the other's face match his hair colour in the light of the fire. "What is so funny? You don't believe me?" He demanded.

Hiei covered his face with his hands to stifle his laughing. He simply shook his head to answer.

"Laugh all you like. It will not change who I am." And with that, the redheaded master, pushed open a large doorway leading out of the hearth room and disappeared inside.

Hiei scrambled after him, still giggling. "Aww comon!" He called after him, "You can't expect me to believe you're the Count of Crimson! You told me you didn't remember your last name!"

The room inside was dark save for a pale light that shone through the weathered curtains at the far end and Hiei found himself knocking over small pieces of furniture as he fumbled around. "Sorry about that! Look, I'm making a mess here. Don't you have any candles? Kurama? I was never good at hide-and-seek you know."

"Do you know where you are, Hiei?" Kurama's voice came from the direction of the curtains.

"I'm in the forbidden Castle of a dead Count wandering around in the dark with a hermit who thinks he is royalty." The teen replied with a chuckle, holding his throbbing leg.

"You are in the room where a young girl named Catherine Yoko once lay dying." He heard Kurama say as the curtains were swept to the side mercilessly. Hiei had to shield his eyes with his forearm at the sheer brightness of the sun. There was no window at all, only a balcony and a wide open view of Youkai Forest.

Kurama leaned on the balcony railing and closed his eyes as a breeze blew through his soft hair. Hiei limped up to him and similarly placed his hand on the rail taking in the sight. "Who is Catherine Yoko?"

"She was my betrothed. Daughter of the King of a neighboring kingdom. My mother and father insisted I marry another of royal blood. They brought her here so we could get acquainted before the marriage."

"You're still telling me you're the Count of Crimson?"

"My father was the Count of these lands. I am nothing like him. I rule over nothing and no one." He affirmed.

"Wouldn't that make you the same age as my father roughly?" Hiei made a face and Kurama smirked in response. "Well, you don't _look_ that old anyway." When Kurama said nothing Hiei gave in, "Did you love her?" He asked, sounding a little too childlike than he wanted to.

Kurama didn't seem to mind his question in the slightest. "We had hardly spent any time alone together. In fact, I hardly saw her while she was here. My father kept me busy doing other things. We were on the verge of war at the time and as the Count, all he cared about was securing his lands and Crimson's future. I spent more time with my Mentor than I did with my own wife-to-be." He shook his head at the memory. "It was very difficult to get 'acquainted' at all, in fact. If, by chance, we were in the same room together we would act civil. To appease our folks, of course."

"Of course." Hiei affirmed. "If you don't mind my asking…how did she die?" He couldn't help but ask. The redheaded stranger did have a nack for storytelling and the more of the story he revealed to Hiei, the more Hiei wanted to know. Even his grandfather couldn't tell the story of Crimson from this point of view, Hiei knew. And if Kurama was lying about who he really was, he sure was good at making up stories!

Kurama took a deep breath before continuing. He didn't appear angry at all, just _sad_, Hiei observed. "She was bitten by the demon in its lowest form." He told him. "I don't know how it came to be. I only know the servants were upset and I was disturbed that night by Catherine's screams for water. When I left my chamber there were people in the halls rushing Catherine up the stairs into this room. She was in her nightgown and…" He narrowed his eyes, trying to remember that night. "She was bleeding all over the stairs. I remember we had to replace the carpets… When I asked what had happened to her they told me she had been bitten by a dog in the woods. My father was furious and he had the guardsmen who were on watch that day executed for allowing the Yoko daughter to be injured."

"That's a little harsh don't you think? Killing innocent men because she went outside on her own?" Hiei commented disapprovingly. "And where did the dog come from? Did they ever find out?"

"No. I have no idea where the demon came from or why it chose to attack Catherine. I didn't know it was a demon that bit her then. We all assumed it was a rabid dog. That would explain why Catherine was screaming for water so badly. Those infected by rabies crave water and die of dehydration after their bodies seize up. But she died only hours after the attack."

Hiei frowned, putting the pieces together. "…And the rabies disease normally takes days at most to take affect. You said something about the demon's _lowest form_? What did you mean by that?"

"Well I've…" Kurama hesitated a moment, as though not sure how much to say, "I've seen the demon for what it really is and it needs certain things to survive. From what I know, the demon was weak and almost powerless when it attacked Catherine."

"It was powerful enough to kill her…" Hiei whispered, thinking about it.

Kurama ran his hands through his bangs and pressed them back. "I'm sorry, I don't really know why I'm telling you all this."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Pardon?"

"A plan." Hiei repeated, "How are we going to kill this thing?"

Kurama could see the newly formed determination on the teen's face and he brightened, "Do you still have that necklace?"

Hiei looked confused by the request but he took the red jewel out of his shirt nonetheless. "You mean this thing?"

Kurama eyed the precious stone with curious eyes. "Yes. I believe that thing is a key." He said leaving the balcony and making his way to the entrance in a hurry.

"A key?" Hiei asked, stumbling over the same furniture bits he had knocked over on his way in. "A key to what?"

"Follow me." The redheaded Master called back to him as he disappeared down the castle's main staircase. "And grab that lantern that is beside the fireplace on your way down!"

Hiei groaned and leaned on the balcony room doors, trying to untangle a rope that had caught on his ankle when he tripped on some fallen linens. "What lantern? And who leaves a lantern next to a fire place anyway? Does he want to burn this place down or what?" He grumbled, kicking off the rope and scooping up the brass lantern and lighting it with kindling from the hearth. Hiei paused at the top of the stairs and took a deep breath. It was going to take a miracle just to get back down the stairs unharmed. He couldn't even imagine what toll this adventure was going to demand of him….

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--AUTHOR NOTE: Very sorry, to all of you who have already read the pervious three chapters long ago! I was merely spell checking and altering little bits and pieces of the story in those chapters and reposting them for you. A thousand apologies for teasing you! X3 Hope you enjoyed the 'real' update! More to come. Lots-of-love: SAKU-- 


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